Large Porcupine Who Loves To Be Picked Up Looks Like A 'Spiky Capybara'

"Let's pick up my porcupine." We bet you've never heard someone say that before! Yet, we found an Instagram video that states those exact words, as the owner of an animal encounter business shows viewers how she picks up a porcupine despite its sharp quills that make it look like a "spiky capybara," according to one viewer.

During the video, the content creator says she gets asked all the time if she can pick up a porcupine, so she demonstrates on one named Henry. After a little bit of an awkward start and an unexpected spike in the stomach (which she admits was her "fault" for picking him up "a little weird"), the 35-pound porcupine rests in her arms looking comfortable with his eyes closed. (Similar to this sleepy capybara who earned the nickname "capysnora.") 

"Just a capybara with a mohawk," states one person in the comments, as someone else notes that picking up a captive wild animal like this could come in handy in an emergency: "Being able to quickly and safely transport an animal during emergency situations is a key to any wildlife rehab or education center." We only wish she talked more about what the quills actually feel like!

When it comes to porcupines and capybaras, one is famous for its prickly quills while the other looks like a giant guinea pig — and both share a family connection as giant rodents!

Like other rodents, including squirrels and beavers, porcupines and capybaras have front teeth that keep growing throughout their lives, and both generally enjoy plant-based meals. The relationship between the two gets even more interesting, depending on the type of porcupine, as New World porcupines that live in the Americas are closer relatives of capybaras, sharing a larger evolutionary group with them and guinea pigs. Meanwhile, Old World porcupines that are found in Asia, Africa, and Europe are more distant relatives, with their quills evolving independently, showing how similar traits can develop in separate branches of evolution.

So, yes, porcupines and capybaras are related — but they're a little more like quirky cousins than close siblings. Want to know more about wild and exotic animals? Here are the friendliest wild animals that love humans, and some exotic pets that are actually legal to own.